Chaos' Mark

Encounter with the Saviour and Explanation

"Are you all right?"

The man's voice broke through Reinhard's thoughts, snapping him back to reality. Reinhard glanced at the man with the small wings behind his ears, wondering if they were real.

Then, to Reinhard's surprise, the man responded as if he were reading his mind. "Yes, they are real, Mr. Reinhard Urzustand," he said, moving them slightly. Reinhard was shocked that this person knew his name. Gathering himself from the shock, he asked.

-"How do you know my name? And where am I?

-You are in the province of Oro in the Heiwa Shogunate. But for someone like you from an another world, that probably means nothing. As for knowing who you are, I simply used Appraisal on you."

Reinhard thought about the man's words, Heiwa and Oro sound like Japanese... Am I in Japan? No, that can't be right. There's no such thing as creatures like that in the real world. But then, where am I? What is this place? And that monster... just the thought of it sends a shiver down my spine. I can feel the fear creeping in, tightening my grip on my left arm. Okay, calm down, Reinhard, just breathe. 'Appraisal'... sounds like something from a video game. Is this some kind of game? No, it can't be... This is too real. And 'another world'... Am I really in another world? This is... this is unbelievable!

"It's true, you are indeed in another world," the man responded once again, as if reading Reinhard's thoughts. "Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jonathan Lutch, pleased to meet you." He added, offering his hand in greeting.

As Reinhard shook Jonathan's hand, he remembered the mechanical voice and asked, "What was that voice?"

Jonathan replied, "Oh, you're talking about the Divine Voice. Yes, you probably acquired a skill like Pain Resistance after losing your left arm."

He continued his explanation, "Our world has a system similar to the thing called"video games" in your world. We can acquire skills by repeating certain actions, spending skill points, or obtaining titles. We can also level up by killing monsters, thus increasing our statistics."

Jonathan turned to Reinhard. "Do you have any other questions?"

Reinhard nodded, then hesitated before asking, "Is there a way to return to my world?"

Jonathan's expression softened as he replied, "No Otherworlder has returned to their world until this day."

Reinhard's heart sank at Jonathan's words. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks - there was no way back to his world. Despair washed over him, leaving him feeling lost and hopeless in this unfamiliar realm.

Jonathan's words cut through the despair like a knife as he spoke with brutal honesty.

"Listen, Reinhard," he began, his tone firm. "You're not the only one who's been through this. There have been others like you - Otherworlder, just like you. Some of them have struggled, yes, but others have thrived in this world. And then there are the Reincarnators... They've had to start their lives from scratch, completely different from what they were before."

Reinhard looked up, his eyes filled with a mixture of shock and curiosity.

Jonathan continued, his tone hardening. "You have to toughen up, Reinhard. This world doesn't owe you anything, and neither do I. You can't change the past, but you can shape your future. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and start making something of your life here. That's the only way you'll survive."

Reinhard swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Jonathan's words pressing down on him. He knew that Jonathan was right, but accepting the harsh reality of his situation was a bitter pill to swallow. With a determined nod, he steeled himself for the challenges ahead. As the conversation drew to a close, Reinhard resolved to make the most of his new life in this strange world, no matter how daunting the journey might be. With newfound determination, he rose to his feet, ready to face whatever lay ahead.